Guarded surgical scalpel

Abstract: A surgical scalpel (100) has a hollow handle (101) provided with a cleat (104), and the cleat (104) has a rib (105) for mounting a blade (106). A guard (107) is telescopically received within the hollow handle (101) for sliding movement therein. The guard (107) has an advanced position in which the blade (106) is covered and an alternate retracted position in which the blade is exposed for use during a surgical procedure. The guard (107) is an inverted U-shaped channel including a pair of side walls (109, 110) having respective closed longitudinal slots (122, 123) formed therein. A pin (121) is carried by the handle (101) transversely thereof and is received in the closed longitudinal slots (122, 123), thereby providing a bearing guide means and a stop means (120) between the guard (107) and the handle (101). A resiliently-based detent means (113) is provided between the guard (107) and the handle (101), and the detent means (113) is independent of the stop means (120).

Description: FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a surgical scalpel and, in particular, to a surgical scalpel having a retractable blade guard to protect against inadvertent nicks or cuts during a surgical procedure in an operating room. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In European Patent Application EP-A-555196, a guarded surgical scalpel is disclosed and claimed, wherein a guard is mounted on the scalpel handle for alternate sliding movement thereon between an advanced position in which the blade is covered and a retracted position in which the blade is exposed, thereby protecting against inadvertent nicks or cuts when the scalpel is being transferred from the surgeon to the nurse, and vice-versa, during a surgical procedure in an operating room. Detent means are provided between the guard and the handle, thereby defining the alternate positions of the guard with respect to the handle. Stop means are also provided between the guard and the handle to form a bearing guide between the guard and the handle and to preclude an accidental removal of the guard from the handle, the stop means being independent of the detent means. Preferably, the stop means includes a pin carried transversely of the handle and riding in a closed longitudinal slot in the guard. The present invention constitutes an improved guarded surgical scalpel having a handle with a blade mounted thereon. In accordance with the improvement, the handle is substantially hollow and has a sliding guard telescopically mounted therein. More particularly, the invention is directed to a guarded surgical scalpel having a handle with a blade mounted thereon wherein the handle is substantiallky hollow and wherein there is provided an inverted U-shaped guard telescopically mounted within the handle for sliding movement therein. There is also provided a two-position resiliently biased detent means between the guard and the handle, thereby defining an advanced position of the guard in which the blade is substantially covered and an alternate retracted position of the guard in which the blade is exposed. There is also provided a bearing guide means between the guard and the handle, the bearing guide means being independent of the detent means and providing a stop means limiting the sliding movement of the guard. The guard is formed as an inverted U-shaped channel, preferably having a pair of side walls, each of which has a preferably closed longitudinal slot formed therein for receiving the pin. The handle includes a lower member having a longitudinally-extending section constituting a cleat, and the cleat is provided with a rib for mounting the blade thereon. The present invention thus substantially reduces the risk of the surgeon, nurse or assistant inadvertently acquiring (or transmitting) an infectious disease, such as HIV or HBV, in the operating room or similar medical environment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a perspective View of an operating room or theater where a surgical scalpel will be utilized. Fig. 2A is an enlarged view of an unguarded scalpel, illustrating how an assistant may be cut or nicked when transferring the scalpel during an operating procedure. Fig. 2B is an enlarged view of an unguarded scalpel, corresponding substantially to Fig. 2A, but showing how the surgeon may be cut or nicked when transferring the scalpel. Fig. 3A illustrates how a conventional scalpel as disclosed in EP-A-555 196 protects the assistant's hand when passing the scalpel to the surgeon during an operation. Fig. 3B illustrates how the guard on the conventional scalpel is retracted by the surgeon --- with one hand --- to expose the blade. Fig. 3C illustrates how the guard is advanced by the surgeon --- again, with only one hand --- to cover the blade. Fig. 3D illustrates how the conventional guarded scalpel protects the assistant's hand when the surgeon passes the scalpel back to the assistant. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the conventional scalpel with the protective guard in a first advanced position to cover the blade. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the conventional scalpel with the protective guard in a second retracted position, thereby exposing the blade. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view, taken along lines 6-6 of Fig. 4, drawn to an enlarged scale, and showing the manually-releasable detent means for the guard. Fig. 6A is a cross-sectional view thereof, taken across the lines 6A-6A of Fig. 6, and showing the annular collar on the spring-loaded detent pin received in a respective detent pocket formed on the guard. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 7-7 of Fig. 6, showing the means for retaining the detent means on the body or handle of the scalpel. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 8-8 of Fig. 4, drawn to an enlarged scale, and showing the stop means for the guard. Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the improved scalpel with its blade guard. Fig. 10 corresponds substantially to Fig. 6, but shows a cap or button on the releasable detent means for the blade, thereby providing a preferred tactile means and facilitating manual release of the detent means. Fig. 11 is an alternate embodiment of the detent means. Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view thereof, taken along lines 12-12 of Fig. 11. Figs. 13A-13D show, respectively, the manner in which the guard may be manually retracted to expose the blade on the scalpel, and then advanced to cover the blade to protect against inadvertent cuts and nicks normally occasioned in transferring the scalpel from the nurse to the surgeon, and vice versa, during a surgical procedure; wherein the thumb engages the releasable detent pin (or button) and the forefinger is received in the cut-out formed in the bottom wall of the U-shaped sliding guard to alternately retract and advance the guard. Figs. 14A-14D correspond substantially to that of Figs. 13A-13D, but show an alternate manner for selectively and alternately retracting and advancing the sliding guard, wherein the forefinger releases the detent pin, and wherein the thumb engages the cut-out in the bottom wall of the guard; the surgeon may then use the scalpel to cut in a generally upwardly direction or may pivot his or her wrist to cut in a generally downwardly direction, as desired. Fig. 15 is a side elevational view of an improved blade mounted on the scalpel. Fig. 16 is a partial exploded view, corresponding substantially to Fig. 15, but showing the manner in which the improved blade is mounted on the scalpel. Fig. 17 is a side elevational view of the improved blade mounted on a conventional (non-guarded) surgical scalpel. Fig. 18 corresponds substantially to Fig. 6, but shows a tapered portion of the detent member received within a respective detent pocket, thereby providing an improved detent acting between the guard and the handle of the guarded scalpel. Fig. 19 is an exploded elevational view, corresponding substantially to a portion of Fig. 18 drawn to an enlarged scale, and showing the tapered portion of the detent member initially engaging a respective detent pocket. Fig. 20 shows the detent member fully seated in its respective detent pocket. Fig. 21 is a perspective view of the guarded scalpel of the present invention, showing the guard in the form of an inverted U-shaped channel telescopically mounted within the handle of the scalpel for sliding movement therein, the guard being shown in its advanced position substantially covering the blade. Fig. 22 is a further perspective view, corresponding substantially to that of Fig. 21, but showing the guard retracted within the handle to expose the blade. Fig. 23 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the preferred guarded scalpel, taken along the lines 23-23 of Fig. 21. Fig. 24 is an end view of the guarded scalpel of Fig. 23. Fig. 25 is a cross-sectional view of the guarded scalpel, taken along the lines 25-25 of Fig. 23, and drawn to an enlarged scale. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART AS DISCLOSED IN EP-A-555196 With reference to Figs. 1, 2A and 2B, the situation in a typical operating room ("O.R.") is tense and, quite often, the patient's life is at stake. The scalpel blade is very sharp; and in passing a conventional unguarded scalpel S from the nurse (or other assistant) to the surgeon, and vice versa, it is not at all unusual for the surgeon or the nurse to be nicked or cut by the scalpel blade, as shown in Figs. 2A and 2B. This is a dangerous situation, especially aggravated by current viruses and, besides, is painful and distracting. Accordingly, and with reference to Figs. 3A-D, the guarded scalpel 10 has a guard 11 for the blade 12. The blade 12 is conventional and is removably mounted on the scalpel 10 (as hereinafter described). The scalpel 10 may be passed from the nurse to the surgeon in an guarded position (Fig. 3A) to prevent the nurse from being cut. Thereafter, the surgeon may retract the guard 11 in a one-handed movement (Fig. 3B) to expose the blade 12. After making one or more incisions, the surgeon may advance the guard (Fig. 3C) --- again, in a one-handed movement and without taking his or her eyes away from the patient or the instrumentation in the O.R. --- and pass the scalpel 10 back to the nurse (Fig. 3D). The risk of getting cut has been substantially reduced, if not eliminated altogether. It will be appreciated, of course, that various guarded scalpels 10 may be passed back and forth in the O.R. during a lengthy procedure on a patient. With reference to Figs. 4-9, the guard 11 is substantially U-shaped and closely conforms to the outer contours of the scalpel 10. The guard 11 includes parallel side walls 11A and 11B, a bottom wall, and a top portion 16. The top portion 16 includes a pair of inturned flanges 17, respectively, defining a slot 19 therebetween. These inturned flanges 17 are received in longitudinal guide tracks 15 formed in the sides, respectively, in the body portion or handle 14 of the scalpel 10, thereby slidably mounting the guard 11 on the handle 14. A stop means is provided to limit the sliding movement of the guard 11. Preferably, the side wall 11A of the guard 11 has a closed longitudinal slot 30 formed therein; and a pin 32 passes through the closed longitudinal slot 30 and is secured within a transverse bore 31 in the handle 14, thereby restricting the longitudinal sliding movement of the guard 11 and defining its alternate advanced and retracted positions, respectively. Preferably, the pin 32 is a split sleeve as shown more clearly in Fig. 8. A two-position resiliently-biased manually-manipulatable detent means 13 is provided between the guard 11 and the handle 14 of the scalpel 10. This detent means 13, which is manually releasable, positively locks the guard 11 in its selected position and precludes inadvertent or accidental movement thereof. The preferred detent means 13 includes a resilient-biased detent member 22. The detent member 22 is carried by the handle 14 and is disposed substantially within the (vertical) longitudinai midplane or center plane thereof, as shown more clearly in Fig. 6, and about an axis which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the guard 11. Thus, the detent member 22 is backed up substantially by the material portion of the handle 14 --- the detent member 22 is not disposed laterally thereof --- and minimizes the extended outer contours of the guarded scalpel 10. The detent member 22 includes a stem 23A, an intermediate collar 23B, and an upwardly-projecting portion or button 23C. The handle 14 has a bore communicating with a counterbore 21B and a cross-cut, respectively. Stem 23A of the detent member 22 is slidably guided in the bore, so that the detent member 22 has a smooth inward movement without being cocked. A coil spring 24 is within the counterbore 21B and bears against the collar 23B, thereby constantly urging the detent member 22 outwardly (upwardly) of the handle 14; and the collar 23B is slidably received within the cross-cut. The button 23C passes through an opening 38 in a retaining plate 27, and the retaining plate 27 is secured to the handle 14 by a screw 29 received in a tapped recess 21A. As shown more clearly in Figs. 6A and 9, a pair of longitudinally-spaced detent pockets 19A and 19B are formed in the inturned flanges 17 on the guard 11 to receive, alternately, the collar 23B on the detent member 22. When the detent member 22 is manually depressed inwardly against the force of the coil spring 24, the collar 23B clears its respective detent pocket 19A or 19B and allows the guard 11 to be slidably moved along the handle 14 and into its alternate position. When the collar 23B is received in detent pocket 19B, the guard is advanced (forwardly) on the handle 14 to cover the blade 12 and prevent accidental contact with the blade 12 during transfer of the scalpel 10; and when the collar 23B is received in detent pocket 19A, the guard 11 is retracted (rearwardly) on the handle 14 to expose the blade 12 during an operating procedure. To facilitate depression of the detent member 22, a cap 26 may be provided (as shown more clearly in Fig. 10). With reference to Figs. 11 and 12, an alternate embodiment of the detent member 22 comprises a detent ball 25 resiliently biased by a spring 24. The spring 24 is in a blind bore 21B, and the detent ball 25 is slidably guided in a counterbore. With reference again to Figs 4, 5 and 9, the bottom wall of the guard 11 has a cut-out 18 extending upwardly into the respective side walls 11A and 11B of the guard 11. This cut-out 18 is intended to receive either the thumb or forefinger of the recipient and thereby facilitate manual movement of the guard 11. With reference to Figs. 13A-D and 14A-D, the features and advantages of the conventional guarded scalpel will be readily appreciated. When the guarded scalpel 10 is placed in the hand of the surgeon (or passed back to the nurse), the surgeon (or nurse) will know intuitively from the "feel" of the scalpel 10, first, that the guard 11 is "on" (that is, the blade 12 is covered by the guard 11) but will also know, secondly, the orientation of the scalpel 10 (that is, whether the cutting edge of the blade 12 is pointed "up" or "down"). Most surgeons prefer to make incisions with the blade 12 "down", some with the blade 12 "up", and some surgeons use both orientations depending upon the nature of the required incision. In Figs. 13A-D, the blade 12 is "down". In Fig. 13A, the surgeon grasps the scalpel 10, such that the surgeon's thumb is on the upwardly-projecting button 23C on the detent member 22, and the surgeon's forefinger is in the cut-out 18. In Fig. 13B, the button 23C is depressed, and the guard 11 is moved rearwardly to expose the blade 12. After the incision (or incisions) have been made, the button 23C is again depressed by the surgeon's thumb while the surgeon's forefinger is in the cut-out 18 (Fig. 13C) and, thereafter, the guard 11 is moved forwardly (Fig. 13D) to cover the blade 11. In Figs. 14A-D, a similar sequence is followed. There, however, the cutting edge of the blade is "up", and the surgeon's thumb is in the cut-out 18 while his or her forefinger is on the button 23C. In summary, the features and advantages of the above described scalpel are as follows: When the scalpel 10 is passed from the nurse to the surgeon (for example) the surgeon knows intuitively from the "feel" of the scalpel 10 that the guard 11 is "on", covering the blade 12, and that the edge on the blade 12 is either "up" or "down". The surgeon may retract the guard 11, easily and conveniently, using only one hand and without taking his (or her) eyes away from the patient or the instrumentation in the operating room. The detent means is within the "meaty" portion of the handle 14, that is, within the (vertical) longitudinal center plane thereof, thereby taking maximum advantage of the handle material and, conversely, facilitating a strong detent action. This strong detent action between the guard 11 and the handle 14 provides not only a tactile indication, but also an auditory "click" that the guard 11 has been moved into its alternate desired position, that is, retracted to expose the blade 12 or advanced to cover the blade 12. The detented action is "solid" and prevents inadvertent or accidental movement of the guard 11 during a surgical procedure or in transferring the scalpel 10. A stop means between the guard 11 and the handle 14, including the closed slot 30 and the transverse pin 32, is independent of the detent means itself; this improves the reliability of the instrument. The guard 11 closely straddles the handle 14 and maintains the desired "slim line" appearance; and the added weight of the guard 11 is relatively insignificant and does not detract from the overall balance, feel and handling of the lightweight scalpel 10. The components of the overall assembly of the scalpel 10 may be manufactured conveniently and economically out of readily available materials, and the scalpel may be sterilized in an autoclave for repeated usage. With reference to Figs. 15-17, the blade 12 has a closed slot 33 which fits over a laterally-extending longitudinal rib 34 formed on the forward end 14A of the handle 14, thereby removably mounting the blade 12 to the scalpel 10. In an embodiment, as shown more clearly in Figs. 15 and 16, the forward end 14A of the scalpel body 10 has a shoulder 35 substantially at right angles thereto. This shoulder 35 corresponds to an angled shoulder 36 on a conventional non-guarded scalpel S as shown in Fig. 17. The angled shoulder 36 cooperates with a conventional blade (not shown) having a rearward angled portion complementary to the angled shoulder 36. The improved blade 12 has a rearward shoulder or edge 38 which is substantially at right angles thereto (as shown more clearly in Fig. 16) and complementary to the right angle shoulder 35 on the scalpel 10. Thus the blade 12 fits snugly against the shoulder 53 when the blade 12 is removably mounted on the scalpel 10. The conventional scalpel blades (not shown) cannot be fitted to the scalpel 10 described here above. However, and as shown more clearly in Fig. 17, a blade 12 can be fitted to a conventional non-guarded scalpel S, if desired, as well as to the improved scalpel 101 of the present invention. With reference to Figs. 18-20, the detent member 29' has an externally-tapered self-aligning portion 32', thereby piloting the detent member 29' into its respective detent pocket 42' and assuring a "solid" detent actin between the guard 11 and the handle 24', and thereby compensating for any misalignments or tolerance accumulations in the manufacture and assembly of the guarded surgical scalpel 10. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION With reference to Figs. 21-25, the improved guarded surgical according to the present invention scalpel 100 includes a generally-tubular housing providing a handle 101 having a rectangular cross-section, as shown more clearly in Fig. 25. The handle 101 has a closed rearward end 102 and an open forward end 103 and, in this embodiment, is formed from two complementary members including an upper member 101A and a lower member 101B, respectively. These members 101A and 101B are joined together adhesively or by ultrasonic welding or by other suitable means. The lower member 101B has a central upstanding longitudinally-extending section constituting a cleat 104. This cleat 104 includes a forwardly-extending rib 105 upon which the conventional scalpel blade 106 is mounted. A guard 107 is telescopically mounted within the handle 101 for sliding or reciprocating movement therein between an advanced position in which the blade 106 is substantially covered or protected against inadvertent or accidental cuts or nicks (Fig. 21) and an alternate retracted position in which the blade 105 is exposed (Fig. 22) for use during a surgical procedure. More specifically, the guard 107 comprises a substantially inverted U-shaped channel member having a top wall 108 and respective substantially-parallel legs or side walls 109 and 110, respectively, depending therefrom. In this manner, as shown more clearly in Figs. 24 and 25, the channel-shaped guard 107 is slidably mounted between the upper member 101A of the handle 101 and the cleat 104 of the lower member 101B. The guard 107 is manually retracted and advanced, alternately, by means of a-slide button 111 secured to the top wall 108 by a screw 112. The guard 107 has a two-position resiliently-biased detent means 113 with respect to the handle 101. This detent means 113 includes a detent ball 114 backed up by a spring 115 lodged in a blind bore 116 in the slide button 111 (Fig. 25). This detent ball 114 is carried by the slide button 111, rides in a closed slot 117 formed in the upper member 101A of the handle 101, and is received (alternately) in respective detent pockets 118 and 119 at the ends of the slot 117. The detent means 113 thereby defines the extent of the longitudinal sliding movement of the guard 107 within the handle 101 and, preferably, provides a relatively-loud audible "click" signaling to the user of the instrument that the guard 107 has been moved into its alternate position (either advanced or retracted). This detent action is positive, avoids accidental or inadvertent movement of the guard 107, yet it is convenient and easy to manually manipulate the telescopic sliding guard 107. However, the mechanical forces and loading on the guard 107 are taken up by a bearing guide means constituting a stop means 120 (Fig. 25) which is independent of the detent means 113. More specifically, the stop means 120 includes at least one pin 121 carried by the upper member 101A of the handle 101, transversely thereof, and received in respective closed longitudinal slots 122 and 123 formed in the downwardly-depending side walls 109 and 110, respectively, of the inverted channel-shaped guard 107. Preferably, the pin 121 is also received in the central longitudinal section 104 of the lower member 101B of the handle 101, as shown more clearly in Fig. 25. The guarded scalpel 100 may be made of plastic (as shown) or metal, if desired, so that the guarded scalpel 100 may be either disposable or reusable. The guard 107 may be formed of a transparent plastic material, as shown in Figs. 21 and 25, so that the blade 106 is clearly visible at all times. Obviously, many modifications may be made without departing from the present invention. Accordingly, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than has been specifically described herein.

Claims: A guarded surgical scalpel (100) having a handle (101) with a blade (106) and a guard (107) mounted thereon; a two-position resiliently-biased detent means (113) between the guard (107) and the handle (101), thereby defining an advanced position of the guard (107) in which the blade (106) is substantially covered and an alternate retracted position of the guard (107) in which the blade (106) is exposed, and bearing guide means between the guard (107) and the handle (101), the bearing guide means being independent of the detent means (113) and providing a stop means (120) limiting the sliding movement of the guard (107) characterized by the handle (101) being substantially hollow, and the guard (107) being inverted U-shaped and telescopically mounted within the handle (101) for sliding movement therein. The guarded surgical scalpel of claim 1, wherein the stop means (120) comprises a pin (121) carried by the handle (101) transversely thereof, and wherein the guard (107) has a pair of parallel side walls (109, 110), each of which has a longitudinal slot (122, 123) formed therein and receiving the pin (121). The guarded surgical scalpel of claim 2, further characterized in that the longitudinal slots (122, 123) are closed at rich end thereof, such that the bearing guide means provides a stop means (120) for limiting the alternate advanced and retracted positions of the guard (107) with respect to the handle (101), the stop means (120) being independent of the detent means (113). The guarded surgical scalpel (100) of claim 1, further characterized in that the detent means (113) comprises a detent member (114) carried by one of the handle (101) and guard (107), and the other of the handle (101) and guard (107) having a longitudinal slot (117) receiving the detent member (114). The guarded surgical scalpel (100) of claim 4, further characterized by the longitudinal slot (117) having a pair of spaced-apart detent pockets (118, 119) for alternately receiving the detent member (114). The guarded surgical scalpel (100) of claim 5, further characterized by a detent button (111) disposed above the handle (101), the detent button (111) releasing the detent member (114) from a respective detent pocket (118, 119). The guarded surgical scalpel (100) of claim 6, further characterized in that the longitudinal slot (117) receiving the detent member (114) is formed in the top (101A) of the handle (101). The guarded surgical scalpel (100) of claim 1, further characterized in that the handle (101) includes a lower member (101B) having a longitudinally-extending section constituting a cleat (104), and wherein the cleat (104) is provided with a rib (105) for mounting the blade (106) thereon.

Inventors: ABIDIN MICHAEL R, LEHMBECK STEVEN P, ABIDIN, MICHAEL R., LEHMBECK, STEVEN P.
Applicants: ABIDIN MICHAEL R, BLOOM LEONARD, LEHMBECK STEVEN P, ABIDIN, MICHAEL R., BLOOM, LEONARD, LEHMBECK, STEVEN P.
Application year: 1994
Main classification: A61B17
IPC codes: A61B17